Umrah and Hajj guide
Internet for Umrah and Hajj: a practical guide
On an Umrah or Hajj trip, internet is for more than checking in with home. You may need it to share a location, find the hotel, follow group messages, check flight details, or receive a bank code. Setting up your phone before departure makes arrival less stressful.
Set up your phone before you travel
If you are using an eSIM for Saudi Arabia, add it from the QR code while you are still at home. Install the eSIM while the phone has an internet connection, then check that you can select it as your cellular data line. Do not wait until you are at the airport to do the setup.
Buying a plan or adding the eSIM to your phone does not start its service days. The days begin when the eSIM first connects to a network in Saudi Arabia. Installing it a few days before your flight is safe and recommended.
Before boarding, check the following:
- Make sure your phone supports eSIM.
- Keep the QR code and setup email somewhere easy to reach.
- Check that Data Roaming is on for the eSIM line. A travel eSIM connects to the network through roaming.
- Download hotel details, your return flight, and any documents you may need.
- Save offline map areas for Makkah, Madinah, your hotel, and meeting points.
Your usual number can stay in the phone
On a dual-SIM phone, your home SIM can remain in place for calls, SMS, and banking codes. Set the Saudi Arabia eSIM as the data connection. Your WhatsApp account stays on its existing number. The eSIM provides the internet connection.
You can turn Data Roaming off on your home line if you prefer. That makes it clearer which line is providing data. The names of the settings vary between iPhone and Android, but the setup is the same: calls and SMS on your usual line, cellular data on the eSIM.
What will you use internet for during Umrah and Hajj?
Maps, messaging, location sharing, transport, and hotel apps are usually the main needs. If you are travelling with a group, sharing the location of a meeting point can be particularly useful. A working connection also helps during airport arrival, transfers, and when you leave the hotel.
Phone use can increase during busy periods in Makkah and Madinah. Keep important addresses, reservations, and documents somewhere other than a single online app. Screenshots and offline maps are sensible backups.
Choosing data for a 10 to 20 day trip
The right amount depends on how you use your phone. Someone using maps, messaging, and occasional photo uploads will use data differently from someone who watches video often or makes frequent video calls.
For an Umrah or Hajj trip lasting 10 to 20 days, start with your everyday habits. A more modest package may suit maps, messages, and location sharing. Choose more data if you upload many photos and videos, spend a lot of time on social platforms, or expect heavy use through the day.
Read the daily usage terms on unlimited day passes too. These passes run at full speed up to the day’s allowance, then slow down rather than cutting off. Check the plan page for the trip length and data structure that suit your journey.
What to do when you arrive
After landing, make sure cellular data is set to the eSIM line. It may take a short time for the line to find a network. If data does not come through, first check whether Data Roaming is enabled for the eSIM.
Hotel Wi-Fi may be available, but remember that the eSIM is your travel connection. Test your cellular data when you arrive so you are not sorting out settings later when you need directions or a reservation.
A short pre-departure checklist
- Install the eSIM at home before the flight.
- Remember that service days start at the first network connection.
- Set the eSIM as the data line.
- Keep your home SIM active for calls, SMS, and codes.
- Turn Data Roaming off on your home line if that suits your setup.
- Download offline maps and important documents.
Keep reading
See the Saudi Arabia plans
Every plan we sell for Saudi Arabia is on one page, at today’s prices in US dollars. The QR code arrives by email, and the service days start counting only when the eSIM first connects there.